Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers End Home Stand, Begin Big Ten Play
9/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Sept. 23, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 11 ranked Indiana field hockey team wraps up its longest home stand of the season this weekend with Big Ten rival No. 6 Michigan State on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Lindenwood on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Mellencamp Pavilion. The Hoosiers are looking to maintain a perfect record at home and avenge a 2004's loss to the Spartans in the Big Ten Tournament.
Scouting the Opponents
Indiana opens up its Big Ten campaign with #6 Michigan State on Saturday, Sept. 24. The Spartans are currently 7-2 in 2005. So far, MSU has topped Boston University (4-3 OT), Cal (4-1), Pacific (2-0), Stanford (3-0), James Madison (3-2 OT), St. Louis (2-1), Kent State (2-1). The Spartans only losses have come from last year's final two teams in the NCAA Tournament, Wake Forest and Duke.
Leading Michigan State this year is Michelle Huynh-Ba with eleven points, including five goals, followed by Jessica Miller and Ashley Pernicano with seven points a piece. Goalkeepter, Christina Kirkaldy has recorded an impressive 26 saves this season.
Last season, Michigan State advanced to the Final Four before losing to Duke in the semifinals. In the Big Ten Tournament, the Spartans dropped a tough overtime loss to Iowa.
The Lindenwood Tigers are 2-2 as of Sept. 19 with a game against Centre University on Sept. 23. The Lions have posted wins over Missouri State (1-0) and Rhodes College (2-1 OT).
The Series
Saturday's matchup between the Hoosiers and Spartans marks the ninth time the two teams have squared off since 2000. This will be the third meeting played in Bloomington, where the Hoosiers hold a 0-2 record with State. IU has never beaten Michigan State in eight tries.
The last time the Hoosiers and Spartans met was on Nov. 11 in Evanston, Ill. in the Big Ten Tournament. Despite getting on the board first, MSU scored two more times and took home the 2-1 win.
Unlike the Hoosier-Spartan series, Indiana has never dropped a game to the NAIA's Lindenwood. IU is 3-0 against the Lions, and Sunday's matchup marks the third consecutive year the teams have played each other in Bloomington.
On Sept. 12, 2004, Indiana and Lindenwood met for the third time in five years. The Hoosiers used a record-setting performance to post a 7-1 victory. Led by Lydia Schrott, ten Hoosiers attempted one or more shots in the dominating victory.
Up Next
Indiana hits the road again to take on its second Big Ten opponent in Michigan on Sept. 30, followed by Kent State on Oct. 2.
